Aaron Blunck focused and fired up for season in the pipe

On U.S. team headed to Winter Youth Olympic Games

Fifteen-year-old Crested Butte halfpipe skier Aaron Blunck had another breakthrough season of competition last year, capped by some big news in April. Blunck was told he would represent the United States in the halfpipe at the Winter Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck, Austria in January 2012.
On Sunday, October 9, it became official as the United States Ski and Snowboard Association nominated 15 athletes to the United States Olympic Committee for the 2012 Youth Olympic Winter Games.
“It means a lot to me because I’m getting to represent my country at the first-ever winter youth games,” says Blunck. “I’m really excited.”
Blunck ramped up his training this summer, spending two weeks at the Park City Olympic Park followed by two weeks at the Windell’s Camp at Mt. Hood.
The work included numerous sessions on trampolines as well as hitting jumps into pools at the Olympic Park, and taking it to the snow and foam pits on Mt. Hood.
“I thought it was amazing,” says Blunck. “It was so much fun.”
Blunck took another big step toward his career by enrolling at the Vail Ski and Snowboard Academy for the 2011-2012 year, giving him a chance to continue honing his halfpipe skills with access to world-class training facilities in the Vail corridor.
In addition to his studies, Blunck spends two afternoons a week working on trampolines, two days in the gym and then one day doing community service. He believes that between his efforts over the summer and at his new school, he’s in better shape than ever before.
“Right now I’m feeling better than ever,” says Blunck. “I miss soccer but it’s nice because I get to focus on skiing. I’m so ready to start competing.”
Blunck opens the competition season with the Grand Prix on December 12. He hopes to qualify for the Dew Tour as well and compete at the Dew Tour stop on December 19.
After that he’s off to Austria.
“It will be my third competition of the year so hopefully I’ll be ready to go,” says Blunck. “I haven’t competed across the globe but I feel it’s going to be some really strong competition. It will be nice competing against kids the same age at the same level.”
As far as his latest trick, Blunck says he’s been working on perfecting his double flair.
“I started working on it last year in the halfpipe but crashed every time,” says Blunck. “I know what I did wrong and I know what I need to do to try it again. I was throwing it in the air at Windell’s and I was throwing it well.”